This thesis focuses on the personality of Pierre-Laurent Aimard – a pianist, who enjoys an internationally celebrated career and who is one of the most significant figures in the piano music of the second half of the twentieth century. He is closely linked to composers of Europe’s post-war avant-garde. The goal of the thesis is to depict his artistic life, his thoughts and opinions and their value for a contemporary pianists and also to describe his contribution by closely collaborating with leading composers of post-war era. The thesis also contains an analysis and comparison of Aimard's selected recordings of Gyorgy Ligeti's pieces, which were prepared in personal collaboration with the author.